Oriyarasoi is on twitter !

Showing posts with label fried oriya snack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fried oriya snack. Show all posts

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Atta Nimiki (Whole wheat namkeen)

School vacations were such carefree days. Growing up in a small town untouched by materialism had its own benefits. One did not have to worry about taking a loan to party everyday. The neighbourhood gupchup-wallah, chat-wallah and chowmein stalls were our perennial hangouts. Even a coke was quite rare those days and was mostly served to the baraatis (bride-groom's guests). An occasional ice-cream seemed heavenly even though Kwality-Walls and Dinshaws were the only brands available.

With wide open spaces, parks and very less traffic on the roads, most of the day was spent having fun outdoors. Whatever little time was spent being indoors, it was considered snacking time. With all the physical activity going on, we would be hungry even after breakfast/lunch/dinner. With no calories being counted (How i miss those blissful days !!),fried stuff like Nimiki, Murukku, Karanji and Gajja were consumed by the kilos (Yes, you read it right so don't pinch urself). Most people would prepare such stuff by the kilos and keep it in large tins for days ( even months ). My grandmother and mother were no exception to this rule. No outside snacks were entertained on a daily basis. While most of the work was done by them, I pitched in my two cents of effort everytime. I guess those days installed the passion for cooking in me ( who is otherwise an outdoor person ).


This recipe is a trip down memory lane. I am doing this post in remembrance of my grandmother who even though severely hindered by arthritis, was a great cook. She made the best Arissa pitha and Maccha Patua I have ever had. And she hated everything refined. She used to call it fake or duplicate. She insisted on using whole wheat and jaggery ( instead of Maida and sugar )in most of the preparations. Hence we were brought up liking the 'Atta Nimiki' instead of the regular Maida Nimiki that everyone patronizes. Read on for the recipe:



















Preparation time - 30-35 mins

Ingredients - 2 cups whole wheat flour (Atta), 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 tsp kala jeera, salt to taste, water to make a stiff dough, oil for deep frying.

Preparation - Take the flour in a wide vessel. Drizzle warm oil and salt.  Rub between fingers for 4-5 minutes. The amount of oil used should be such that if a fistful of flour is taken and held in the hand for a few seconds, it should retain its shape (somewhat). At this point mixture will start to look crumbly like bread crumbs.

Add just enough water to knead into a stiff dough. Allow to stand covered for 1 hour.

Cooking: Heat oil of deep frying in a wok.

Pinch some of the dough, make a ball out of it and roll into a thick circle. Cut the circle into small pieces and add one piece to the hot oil. If oil is hot enough, it will immediately rise to the top without turning dark. If it sinks, oil needs to be hotter and if it turns dark very soon, oil is over-heated.

Fry a handful of the pieces in a single batch, turning at regular intervals for even cooking. Remove and keep aside when done.

Repeat with the remaining dough. Allow to cool down completely, transfer and store in an airtight container. (The nimikis tend to turn crispier as they cool down .)

Munch on a few as and when you wish.




Featured Post

Green Papaya Laddoos (SugarFree recipe)

Mom is undoubtedly the dessert specialist at home. God forbid, if she takes to blogging, she could give a lot of folks a run for their mone...